The Verse Attack

Let me start by saying that I am not responsible for anyone’s salvation or lack thereof and nor do I want to be. This is a write-up of my approach to interpreting the verses in the Bible that are often used to vilify transgender people.

If you want to argue with me on these points you can use the form on the contact me page. I will read them as long as they are framed as if we are discussing religion at a coffee shop with other people around. If you come at me with fire and brimstone just for discussing the fact that these verses should not be used for sniping, then you will be wasting your time. You go on and keep believing that your interpretation (or the one given to you by someone else) is the only possible one. You go on believing that limiting the rights of good people is a valid thing to do because of your “perfect” understanding. You go on sniping and causing pain and hurt and hate.

This article will address two things. First, I will address the myriad of interpretations of two specific verses used to hammer transgender people, their families, their doctors, and their mental health professionals. Second, I will discuss the act of Old Testament sniping and why from an evangelical and born-again Christian perspective, it is not something anyone should be doing for any purpose.

Sniping“make a sly or petty verbal attack.”

To demonstrate what sniping is, I am going to attack you using it. Are you ready? Get ready to ask for forgiveness you heathen sinner…

While the Deuteronomy passage specifically forbids wearing a woven garment of wool and linen, the Leviticus passage seems broader, forbidding clothes woven of two different types of fabric, no matter what the material.

Plunk! You have just been sniped. Are you worried? Do you realize that there are dozens of Old Testament verses I could use against you this way? Are you just laughing it off? Well, you should as the folks at GotQuestions.org go on and let you off the hook..

So, is it wrong for a Christian today to wear clothing made of two different types of material? The clear and unequivocal answer is “no.” As we have seen, the prohibition was only for linen and wool, which would be uncommon today, anyway. Other types of blends were simply not in view. Beyond that, the prohibition was for ancient Israel, not for the New Testament Christian. The ceremonial laws for ancient Israel as recorded in the Old Testament simply do not apply today.

Question: “Do Christians have to obey the Old Testament law?”

Answer: The key to understanding the relationship between the Christian and the Law is knowing that the Old Testament law was given to the nation of Israel, not to Christians. Some of the laws were to reveal to the Israelites how to obey and please God (the Ten Commandments, for example). Some of the laws were to show the Israelites how to worship God and atone for sin (the sacrificial system). Some of the laws were intended to make the Israelites distinct from other nations (the food and clothing rules). None of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians today. When Jesus died on the cross, He put an end to the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15). – reference here: http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-law.html

So, now that we have established that. Let’s take on Deuteronomy 22:5 – “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God”

We have already established that Old Testament laws were for ancient Israel and do not apply today. If that is not enough to put this verse to rest for you then read on.

If you want to argue that the Old Testament is still relevant because it parallels many verses in the New Testament and reveals that God’s heart was consistent for us.. then I would agree. However, in the instance of Deuteronomy 22:5 you will not find another verse in the new testament to correspond with it. It stands alone and is used by modern Christians to snipe at transgender people and cause harm and hate. This is wrong, plain and simple.

Still not convinced? Let’s look at a Jewish Rabbi’s view of this verse. Remember, much of the Old Testament is studied and understood very well by your average Rabbi. His interpretation is that the abomination does not even refer to the person, but the forbidden act (adultery) for which the “dressing as the opposite sex” was described in this verse.

“The intent of the law, in this view, is to prevent men and women from associating with what would normally be a single-sex group of the other gender under false pretenses for purposes of, or in circumstances that are liable to lead to, heterosexual adultery.”

“The danger of ‘cross-dressing,’ .. is that it might allow men to enter women’s groups and women to enter men’s groups. In societies in which gender segregation was widely observed, this subterfuge was seen as a real danger.”

“Today the concern would be that men or women would sneak into the other gender’s locker rooms or bath rooms. Given that men and women in our society mix freely in other settings, it is hard to see how heterosexual adultery is a particular danger of what is called “cross dressing.” – reference here: http://www.beki.org/dvartorah/crossdressing/

All of that is basically saying that the verse was talking about dressing up as something you are not, in order to enter the realm of the opposite sex and commit adultery. That’s right, the “abomination” is adultery and sexual impropriety.

Transgender people, are not “dressing up” as something they are not in order to rape and pillage or steal away someone else’s spouse. We are being who we are, we are dressing as the gender that we are. This is not a hobby and it is not a “get my kicks on the weekend” sort of thing. Transgender people go through agony and a difficult and painful process at intense emotional, physical, and financial cost in order to transition. At every stage of this transition, they are standing against tradition, against hatred, and against many in their own family who simply can’t accept the truth about them. Transgender people, along with gender non-conforming individuals are rebels who refuse to give in to the establishment. With modern science and understanding at our side, we stand against established gender norms (binary-only gender), but in doing so we are not standing against God. Let’s call sniping from the Bible what it is.. it is simply a tactic of those who wish to stay in their comfort zone and burn down anything that challenges it. Those tactics and that kind of hatred causes others who are more extreme to directly harm, beat, and kill transgender people. If you are posting transgender related hate on Facebook, Twitter, in the comments section of news articles, or verbally spreading hate, then you are complicit in those beatings and murders.

If your church or your pastor is telling you that you can’t associate with a transgender person, serve food to a transgender person, tow a transgender person’s car, or accept a transgender person as a member of your family.. then I defy every word on the subject is being put in your head by that particular church or pastor. Hopefully, this is only happening in the most extreme churches. I defy them, and the words of Jesus are not in congruence with those views. My life, my story, and my actions do not add up to what that kind of hatred and miss-understanding are calling for. I am a human being who is deserving of your respect. Transgender people are human beings that are born in a unique way, just as you are a human being that is born in a unique way.

Another verse that is often referred to when sniping at transgender people is one that does not even make sense to use: Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This one is so simple to debunk as a sniping tactic that I honestly am annoyed that I have to even include it in this post. This verse is literally an inclusive verse. Many biblical scholars agree that “male and female he created them” is not mutually exclusive text. We are all made in the image of God. WE are all male and female. All males start as females in the womb. Yes, really! All of us have both testosterone and estrogen in our bodies. All of us have varying levels of what one could call “gender.” You can spend weeks googling all of the arguments on that one, but it is the truth.

Let me just end by saying again that I am not a biblical scholar. I became a Christian around age 22 and spent many years being a part of several great churches. I co-led a men’s ministry for close to three years. I care about my faith and I love having a relationship with Jesus. Because of verses like Deuteronomy 22:5 and how misguided Christians would use them, it took me a very long time to understand that I could still be the real me and that the Lord would love me just as I am. I prayed about this for years.

Ladies and Gentlemen and all of those in between.. what the heck are we fighting about this for?? Jesus is Love. He loves you and YOU are a unique creation that is MEANT to be unique in this world. BE YOU. BE FREE.

Ariana Danielle

“So God created Dan/Ariana in his own image, in the image of God he created him/her; male and female he created them.”